Denture brushing device



March 25, 1941. T A. ENKLEY 2,236,462 ,l

DENTURL BRUSHING DEVICE Filed March 28, 1940 Patented Mar.' 25, 1941 i1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning dentures or the like.

It is particularly aimed to provide a construction having brushes rotatable in opposite directions within a case and operable by a crank or the equivalent from the exterior thereof.

It is further aimed to provide such a construction having a lid or cover capable of opening, which carries one of the brushes in an operative i9 position for rapid meshing and demeshing with respect to the driving gear.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken at a right angle to Figure 2, and on the line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, a case is provided as at I0, consisting of a lower or container section I I, having a cylindrical upstanding wall I2, and the case also having a lid or cover I3, in the form of a plate or disk, removably positioned but preferably hinged for opening as at I4, on the upper edge of the cylindrical wall I2, such disk or plate I3, preferably having a spring latch I5, whereby it may releasably engage a lug or keeper I6 on the wall I2, to hold the cover or closure against accidental opening.

, Within the case a pair of brushes l1 and I8 are provided in opposed relation, adapted for rotation in opposite directions to cleanse a denture disposed therebetween, with the aid of any liquid or other cleaning material contained in section I2 or disposed on the brushes or against the denture.

Each brush I1 and I8 is substantially similar, each having a back I9 of plate or disk form, of wood, Bakelite or any other suitable material. Tufts of bristles, as at 20, extend from each back I9 toward the other back terminating slightly short of contact with each other, so that they will effectively contact the opposite sides of a denture engaged between them. Back I9 is journaled for rotationon a stud 2|, fastened centrally to the bottom wall of section Il and brush I1 is journaled on a stud or spindle 22 fastened centrally to the cover or closure I3. Thus each brush, is rotatable. Each brush has a gear ring 23 fastened thereto in any'suitable manner, as .by means of screws 24. Said gear rings project laterally be- 5 yon'd the heads I9 and are there provided with v series of equidistantly spaced gear holes or perforations 25.

Within the case I0 and at one side thereof, a gear member 26 is disposed for rotation on a horizontal axis, being fixed to the inner end of a crankshaft 2l extending through the wall I2, with the crank 28, located exteriorly thereof. for manual engagement. and operation. Spacing means 29 and 30 are provided about the shaft 21, 15 interiorly and exteriorly of the case. Said gear 26 has equidistantly spaced peripheral teeth 3l which are engaged or enmeshed with the openings 25.

In operation, the closure I3 is swung open on 20 the hinge I4, carrying the brush I1 to an open position, whereupon the denture or plate or the like is disposed within the case on top of the bristles of the lower brush I8. Thereafter, closure t3 is restored to dosed position so that the bristles 25 of the upper brush I1 will engagev the denture or plate on the opposite side to the bristles of the other brush. Thereupon the crank 28 may be operated to rotate the gear 26 and the gear rings 23, accordingly rotating ythe brushes in opposite 30 directions, and effectively cleaning bothxsides of the denture or plate, with the aid of any cleaning medium contained within the case I2, the bristles 20 or the denture or plate. The denture or plate may thereafter be readily removed upon opening the closure I3.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention: 40

l. A denture cleaner of the class described having a case, a closure on said case movable to an open position, brushes between which a denture is disposable for cleaning, one of saidbrushes being journaled within the case, the other brush 45 being journaled on the inner face of the closure in opposed relation to the rst mentioned brush, means operable from the exterior of the case to rotate said brushes in opposite directions, consisting of a gear within the case, and gear means on the brushes enmeshed with said gear, the gear means on the brush of the closure being demeshable with the gear through opening of the closure.

2. A denture cleaner of the class described having a case, a closure on said case movable to an 55 open position, brushes between which a denture is disposable for cleaning, one of said brushes being journaled Within the case, the other brush being journaled on the inner face of the closure in opposed relation to the rst mentioned brush, a gear Within the case, gear means on the brushes enmeshed with said gear, and a crankshaft journaled in the wall of the case carrying said gear and operable exteriorly of the case.

3. A denture cleaner of the class described having a case, a closure on said case movable to an open position, brushes between which aV denture of the closure being demeshable with the gear l0 through opening of the closure.

THOMAS A. BINKLEY. 

